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Aith

Coordinates: 60°17′02″N 1°22′44″W / 60.284°N 1.379°W / 60.284; -1.379
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Aith
Aith Marina, shop & lifeboat
Aith is located in Shetland
Aith
Aith
Location within Shetland
OS grid referenceHU344557
Civil parish
Council area
Lieutenancy area
CountryScotland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townSHETLAND
Postcode districtZE2
Dialling code01595
PoliceScotland
FireScottish
AmbulanceScottish
UK Parliament
Scottish Parliament
List of places
UK
Scotland
60°17′02″N 1°22′44″W / 60.284°N 1.379°W / 60.284; -1.379

Aith, (Shetland dialect: Eid, Old Norse: Eið, meaning Isthmus, cf Eday), is a village on the Northern coast of the West Shetland Mainland, Scotland at the southern end of Aith Voe, some 21 miles (34 kilometres) west of Lerwick.[1][2]

Aith lies on the B9071 that runs south to the junction with the A971 (which links Lerwick to the west of Shetland) at the village of Bixter and North East via East Burrafirth to the junction with the A970 (which links Lerwick to the North) at the village of Voe. A single track road leads north from Aith along the west shoreline of Aith Voe to Vementry.[3]

Every year in early June the Aith Lifeboat Gala is held to raise money for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, featuring a jarl squad and displays by the Shetland Coastguard among other activities.[4][5]

History

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Aith village

The modern settlement occupies an area originally named Aithsting during the period of Norse occupation. The surrounding parish is still known as Aithsting.[6][7]

Buildings and structures

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Notable events

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On 20 February 2008 several houses in Aith were evacuated due to a fire in the local garage prompting fears that oxyacetylene canisters stored there might explode. The garage was destroyed and the site later cleared.[12]

References

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  1. ^ Groome, Francis Hindes, ed. (1901) [1901]. "Ordnance gazetteer of Scotland : a graphic and accurate description of every place in Scotland". National Library of Scotland. Edinburgh: National Library of Scotland. pp. 38–39. Retrieved 23 January 2016.
  2. ^ Ordnance Survey. "View: Sheet 2, Shetland Islands (North Mainland) - Ordnance Survey One-inch to the mile maps of Great Britain, Seventh Series, 1952-1961". National Library of Scotland. National Library of Scotland. Retrieved 23 January 2016.
  3. ^ a b "Aith Junior High School - Travel Plan" (PDF). Shetland Islands Council. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 February 2012. Retrieved 6 April 2009.
  4. ^ "Lifeboat Gala day a huge success in Aith". RNLI. Retrieved 27 August 2013.
  5. ^ "Sun shines on Aith lifeboat gala". Shetland News. Shetland News. 3 June 2013. Retrieved 23 January 2016.
  6. ^ Holman, Katherine (2007). The Northern Conquest: Vikings in Britain and Ireland. Signal Books. p. 169. ISBN 9781904955344.
  7. ^ "Sandsting & Aithsting Proposals Map" (PDF). Shetland Islands Council. Retrieved 6 April 2009.
  8. ^ "Lifeboat Station: Aith". RNLI. Archived from the original on 3 January 2009. Retrieved 6 April 2009.
  9. ^ "Welcome to Aith Junior High School". Aith Junior High School. Retrieved 6 April 2009.
  10. ^ "Aith Junior High School, Bixter". Schoolsnet. Retrieved 6 April 2009.
  11. ^ "West Mainland Leisure centre". Shetland Recreational Trust. Archived from the original on 3 March 2009. Retrieved 6 April 2009.
  12. ^ "Aith citizens forced to evacuate village". STV. Archived from the original on 25 October 2008. Retrieved 21 February 2008.
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